Nail Biter

I do not bite my nails but our travels on Day 4 almost pushed me to take up the habit. We were using I-24 to get across Idaho and I do believe every truck in the nation was hauling goods across that state. There were trucks as long as a basketball court, trucks with wide loads and, my favorite, trucks with unwieldy cargo. Add to the mix were cars going 90+ mph (10+ miles over the posted speed limit), construction cones and zones and snarled traffic near Boise. And here we were, Ma and Pa Kettle, just trying to get to Oregon.

Mercifully, Exit 379 finally arrived and we made our way to a peaceful highway in eastern Oregon. It felt like leaving a heavy metal concert and stepping foot into a quiet arboretum. We exchanged views of bumpers and license plates for views of soaring birds and gamboling goats. Truthfully, swamps and landfills would have been a welcome change.

A rain storm with slivers of lightning kept us entertained as we finished our journey for the day. We were greeted with a comfortable room in the dusty little town of Burns, Oregon. The good thing about hotels is that the desk clerks will usually greet you with a smile even if you are stinky and look like dog spit.

A few pictures……

We were unable to get away from the trucks, even at the rest stop. But they weren't moving so that was a good thing.

A view from my morning walk in Burns. Not exactly jaw-dropping but the traffic was light, the air was cool and the sun was working its way up for the day. Best of all, a couple of Caspian terns greeted me from above.

Our hotel had several interesting sculptures and this one caught my fancy as the sprinkler system gave it a little context. The early morning sun added to the fishing adventure.

After a few repairs at the blacksmith shop, we will be ready to crawl back into the wagon and continue across Oregon.

True words for us.